Game Day at Portland

Back in Portland again.  Hopefully with a different outcome than last weekend.  To make that happen there's a couple keys to the game:

1. Stay out of the penalty box.  Portland's power play at home is 23%, Ams road PK is at 76%.  I don't like those odds.  I wouldn't like it if the Americans' road PK was sitting at 90%.  Which leads to item #2...
2. Play smart.  I do not want to see a repeat of last weekend's game, not just on the scoreboard, but in the frustration and stupidity that took place.  Lipstick's going to be annoying, annoy him right back (but see Key #1)
3. Clear the traffic.  Portland has gotten better at doing the dirty, garbage work in front of the net, get those guys out of there.
4. Apparently the Winterhawks have a goal of 10 shots on goal in the first 10 minutes, which I must say is a great game plan.  Which means they intend to come out on fire and the Americans simply cannot afford to come out flat.  If 'Hawks want shots on goal, Ams have to get control of the puck, keep possession.  Or block a lot of shots.  Or both.

The Winterhawks are coming off a 10-5 pounding of the Chiefs Wednesday night.  Personally, I was rooting for a meteor strike, but it didn't happen.  Portland managed 5 quick goals--in the first period, it's that whole 10 shots in 10 minutes thing--but then the Chiefs seemed to dominate the play.  Shots were 16 each in the first, then Spokane had the advantage, 32-15 over the next 2 periods.  So yeah, see Key # 4 above.

The rest of the month of February is a busy one for the Americans, they need to set the tone with these three road games in a row this weekend.  It's been a while since they've done this much road work, and they're pretty banged up.  Have to take a little consolation that in February, all the teams are banged up. 

The Tri-City Americans kept their travel agent busy this past week making arrangements for a trip that includes a game tonight in Portland, Saturday in Spokane, Sunday in Chilliwack and Tuesday in Kamloops.

It's the first road trip for the Americans that encompasses more than one game since Nov. 12-13.

"It's going to challenge us a bit," Tri-City coach Jim Hiller said. "We haven't been on the road much since the start of the season. We just have to keep climbing off the bus and keep going."

"We haven't played on the road in a while, but it's nice to get some team bonding," said Adam Hughesman, who leads the team with 35 goals and 73 points. "It will be a test for us. Thanks to Bob (GM Tory) and the owners for letting us come up (to Portland) a day early. We will play some good teams and we'll see how it comes out in the end." (Herald)

No word on if Rankin or Prokop will be back, but I'm not holding my breath.

It's a road game which means liveblog, hopefully it doesn't turn into another deadblog because of the scoreboard.  Click on the "Read More" to join in.  Programming note, NO liveblog tomorrow night, I'll be at the game.